Things Psychologists Know That You Should Too

It is interesting to be a psychologist. Just as an engineer is fascinated by the mechanics of electrical circuits, we mental health professionals are intensely curious about the human brain: what people feel and what those feelings mean; why people do what they do; all of this falls within our sphere of interest.

In the course of doing our jobs day after day, we often notice recurring patterns and connections that give us glimpses of a bigger picture. We see causes and effects, and develop insights, concepts, and ideas/hypotheses that reveal fundamental truths about human beings. Sometimes, a research study emerges that makes us say, “Aha! I knew it!”

Below are what we might call principles of psychology that are common knowledge among most mental health professionals. They have been studied and proven valid, and they are highly useful facts that everyone should know.

1. Our brains produce a beneficial chemical response when we see someone we care about.Have you ever felt slightly tense and uncomfortable while making small talk with acquaintances and strangers at a conference or party? Then someone you know well and care about enters the room, and you suddenly feel relieved. Studies have shown that the moment you see someone you know and feel affection for, your brain releases oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that reduces feelings of fear and stress and increases your capacity for eye contact and your feelings of trust and warmth. (Kai McDonald, 2008.)

The takeaway: Having emotional bonds and healthy relationships with others makes you more likely to experience the release of oxytocin in your brain, while causing the same response in the brains of the people you care about. Investing time and effort in building and maintaining strong, healthy bonds with the people in our lives can therefore help all of us live calmer, healthier lives.

2. The most significant events in our lives, whether good or bad, do not arise from individual achievements or failures. Job promotions, exam failures, raises, and business losses: in a recent study, none of these events was rated among the most important events in our lives. Instead, people rated forming and ending human relationships as their most important life experiences. Falling in love, separating from a partner, and happy and sad moments with friends and loved ones all surpassed individual achievements and failures. (Jaremka et al., 2010).

The takeaway: We should place less value on career advancement, financial failures, and successes, and recognize what truly matters: the people in our lives.

3. Mindful people are healthier and happier:A study from Brown University in the United States, conducted by several researchers in 2014, found that people who were more aware of what they were thinking and feeling in the moment—the researchers’ definition of mindfulness—had a lower BMI (body mass index), lower fasting glucose levels, smoked less, and displayed higher levels of physical fitness.

Another study conducted by Kidwell and other researchers in 2014 found that teaching people to pay attention to their emotions helped them lose weight more effectively than educating them about nutritional science.

Adding to this was another study led by Carlson in 2014, which showed an actual difference at the cellular level between breast cancer patients who learned and applied mindfulness techniques and those who did not. Over three months of practicing mindfulness, the patients were able to lengthen their “Telomeres,” protein structures that form the ends of chromosomes.

The takeaway:Paying attention to what you feel and why you feel it is worth the effort. It is a skill, and it can be learned. People with this skill are better able to manage their emotions and understand their physical and emotional needs. They are healthier both physically and psychologically.

4. Psychological abuse and neglect during childhood are just as harmful as—or more harmful than—physical and sexual abuse.In a study (Spinazzola, 2014), more than 5,000 children were followed for 12 years. The results showed that children who experienced psychological or verbal abuse or neglect—childhood emotional neglect—displayed equal or higher levels of depression, stress, low self-esteem, and suicidal tendencies compared with children who experienced physical or sexual abuse.

 The takeaway: If you experience stress, low self-esteem, depression, or suicidal tendencies, do not underestimate the impact of emotional neglect or psychological abuse that you may have experienced in childhood. You do not have to have been beaten or sexually abused as a child to suffer in adulthood. Please note that significant improvement is possible when these experiences and their effects are addressed directly, especially if you seek help whenever you need it.

Author: Dr. Jonice Webb

Photographer: Andibreit